Manager Alex Cora emphatically said Rodriguez (ankle) will return to Boston as a starter, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports.
There was a school of thought that Rodriguez may return as a reliever, particularly if he wasn't going to have the proper time to get stretched out before the end of the year, but the left-hander's speedy recovery put an end to that conjecture. Rodriguez will throw a rehab game Monday, putting him in line to return to the rotation the following weekend. The most likely casualty will be Brian Johnson, the left-hander who has pitched well as a starter but has also been useful in multiple roles out of the bullpen.